WINGS Assignment 2

WINGS Assignment #2

Chapters 4-6

1. Did flight have any influence outside of aviation? If so, how?

            Flight had many influences outside of just having the ability to produce man powered air travel. During the period of time and even into modern times, it has impacted many areas of life. One of the first noted influences on p. 122 was the flourishing of aviation in the art of the twentieth century. Sculptures resembled biplanes, poets spoke of the magic of flight, and reminders of the achievement began showing up on store shelves. Not only were images portraying aviation found on everyday items, but postcards and kids toys especially boomed in popular culture. Aviation breakthroughs and feats represented childhood adventure and thrill. Music and movies of the time even contained some evidence of the topic of flight on the minds of everyone.”… for a time it seemed that images of aviators and airplanes could be used to sell anything” (p. 123)

            Marketing wasn’t the only place the influence of flight had on this time period. Most notably it brought people together. They came to watch history unfold. Even leading names of the time such as artists Picasso and Braque wanted involved. People saw a new face to warfare with the introduction of aerial weaponry. Governments were putting big bucks into planes and business was booming for the time being. Aviators kept revolutionizing heavier-than-air flight and contributing to the age of new flight. They began dreaming bigger and better ways to incorporate flight and put it to use in everyday life. It was a sport, it was a weapon, and it was even beginning to turn into commercial use. Today it’s hard to imagine a day without two-day shipping or heading to the airport for family vacation, but at this time it was all but an experiment with a lot of trial and error. People were on their toes to see just what would come next. From both feet on the ground just a couple years prior the sky now seemed to be the limit, pun intended.

5. In your opinion, did the Wright Brothers’ patent suits affect the progress of aviation?

            In my opinion the Wright Brothers’ patent suits affected the progress of the development of aviation in America. These suits slowed the process of new advances arising due to the hesitation to infringe on the brothers’ patent leading to costly legal trouble. The suits started in August of 1909 with the Herring-Curtiss Company while the rest of the world was just getting started on bigger and better planes. The Wrights aimed at restricting the infringement on their invention at a time that many were making efforts toward advances in flight. These other companies were very real competition to the sale of heavier-than-air flight. Suits went beyond America and hit in France as well due to the brother’s license with Compagnie Generale de Navigation Aerienne (CGNA) who had sued six of their rivals by 1910.

These suits especially impacted independent aviators who stood no chance to the first in flight and their patent. However bigger cases as with the Herring-Curtiss Company were not as clean cut slowing the process substantially. This in turn not only took its toll on the Wright’s due to the time consuming nature stemming their drive to protect their patent, but also had an impact on the production of new technologies in flight. While America was first in flight in 1903, it did not take long for other countries to meet this and even surpass what America had to show after the patent suits. “America certainly lost its early role of aeronautical leadership” (p. 147) Even in the end while others business began to pick up once again; the Wright Company seemed to struggle with only twenty-six sold in a six year frame from 1909 to 1917. “When the suits ended in 1917, Glenn Curtiss ruled the industry of which the Wright brothers were no longer a part.” (p. 148)

It is interesting to think that had the brothers have known the outcomes of these suits if they would have perused them quite as diligently. While completely understandable that they would want to protect their invention the attention and time put into these patent suit were blamed to have took a toll on Wilbur’s health as well as the advances in aviation leading to some catch up for America when falling behind competing countries in the race for bigger and better machines of flight.  

9. What was the state of military aviation after WWI?

            While the war couldn’t have come at a better time solely for the growth of aviation, it was a different story upon the conclusion of World War I. Airplanes turned into an industry of war and weaponry and countries were in the race for the most effective tool. Strategic air power and air bombing both arose during this time. It was hard to imagine that even 15 years earlier people were just beginning to lift off the ground. By the end, the factories and flying schools that had flourished during war time had been left deserted, demobilization was in full swing. “Ninety percent of the factory space devoted to aviation during the war had been redeployed by the end of 1919” (p. 196) Contracts were cancelling without second thought to the impact on the companies who were really hit hard when they came to the realization that really their only sales market had collapsed. With no fall back on civilian need for everyday aircraft, the companies had to become creative or collapse. L’Aviation Militaire was able to retain some standing by deploying out elsewhere but was not near the volume that they had built up during the war dedicated to aviation. France was also able to do a better job with the focus on phasing out post-war production rather than the abrupt cancellation that was seen for many America companies. Britain was able to do the same to a smaller extent however the end of war signaled a huge drop off for the ability to maintain military aviation for all.

Another post-WWI impact on aviation was The Treaty of Versailles of 1919. This “forbade the production or importation of aircraft in Germany for the next six months.” (p. 198) This had a great influence on German military aviation causing many to flee the country and continue production elsewhere or to simply chose between giving up aviation or collapse. This left only five companies remaining by 1921 for Germany. In the end, aviation was greatly impacted by not only the war but the closing of the war as well. With companies and aviators struggling to stay on their feet with the loss of their biggest industry yet, they began looking toward the Atlantic.